Golf-tee guard



,f Feb; 1 11927 u J. D. MULVEHILL GOLF TEE GUARD FiledNov. 15, 192e mv, mv

lNVENTOR n H r l l l l r l l 1 JOHN n. MULVEHILL, or SEATTLE, WASHINGTON.

corr-Tanl GUARD.

Application filed ovember 15, 196. Serial No. 148,333.

'lhis invention relates to golf tee guards or locatingdevices and aims primarily to provide a guard for a golf tee, that may be rapidly attached thereto or detached therefrom,- that is especially designed to restrainingly engage the tee at any selected point of axial adjustment thereon so that the player may tee the ball at any desired height., that readily checks or arrests the flight 'or momentum of the tee in the event the same is struck or dislodged, from the ground by the player, and that functions and serves rto expediteand facilitate the locating andrecovery of the dislodged tee.

Contemplated by the present invention is a golf tee guardofconspicuous shape and color, preferably structure from flexible or resilient material, said guard having a novel golf tee engaging aperture formed therein adjacent one end y,and having a distinguishing and conspicufous symbol provided thereon adjacent the 'opposite end thereof, all of which are important objects of the invention and are to be correlated in the broad aim of enhancing the efficiency of thedevic'e for general use..

The above, and additional objects which will hereinafter be more specifically treated, are attained by such means as are shown in the accompanying drawings described in the following specification and the more` clearly pointed out in the claims, which are appended hereto and form part of this' application. Withpreference to the drawings, wherein is illustrated the preferred embodiment of the invention, and throughout the several views of which like characters of reference designate similar parts,

Figure 1V is a top Aplan view of the golf tee guard comprehe'nded` by ymy present, invention.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the same t taken through 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary plan View of the apertured end of the guard.-

Fig. l is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal section taken through 4-11 of Fig. 3.'

Fig. 5 is a similarsection of a' slightly modified form.'

Figs. 6 to 8 inclusive, arerside elevations-of would appear when em! Owell known type of golf tee, and

Figs. 9 to 11 inclusive, are similar'views of a slightly modified form of guard em fabricated as an integralvtively insure of the Same restrainingl ployed with another well known type of golf tee. lVliile the` golf tee guard of the present inventijn may be otherwise formed, the same is preferably fabricated from suitable resilient, or` flexible material, such as rubber, leather or the like, inthe form of a-,flat elongated integral structure having'a curvilinear contour.

The numeral thin' and substantially elliptical body por tion provided adjacent one end with'aconv spicuous symbol, sch as a white or colred star 11, and havi-ngat the opposite end a each end thereof to form an annular olftee engaging edge 15 at the juncture of t e con- 80 vergentv portions of said walls substantially -midway the length of the aperture, a series of Iradially disposed slits 16 are cut at uniform'spaced intervals within the convergent walls ofthe aperture 14 insymmetrical're- 85 lation to the edge 15, as shown more clearly in Fig. 4, to thereby prevent undue compression orI distortion of such edge and to posiengagmg teemg thereof.

In Fig. 4 theaperture `r14C disclosed is desifrned to accommodate golf tees having a height of the correlated golf yball urbstanti-ally uniform taper throughout.

their length, while, in Fig. 5 an aperture 17 of slightly reduced diameter is disclosed to accommodatel golf tees' having cylindrical 'sten'is of relatively small diameter and provided with tapered heads, which latter at 1'00 minimum teeing heights of thegolf ball lit l snuglywithin the uppbr flaring end of such aperture.

Obviously, when the'golf tee is inserted.

and seated within the aperture 14.- the correlated tee engaging edge 15 thereof will have a tendency to curl downwardly to thus more positively engage' and -more firmly adhere to the sides of the golf tee.

A primary and important 10v designates a `relatively e5 relatively thin substantially circular por- 10 the golf tee uniformly at any se ected n0 feature of the nllll device of the inventionV is that the same is fabricated from material of a conspicuous and distinctive color, or in the event that' the device is fabricated from material having no conspicuous or distinctive color, such device 1s painted or' coated With a medium having a high color, and t-he correlated star,

or other symbol 11 thereof, either finished in white or in a. conspicuous and distinctive color differing from the general color of the device, so as to render the latter easily distinguishable if drivenany distance from its original placement.

ln Figs. 6 to 8 inclusive, the numeral 18 designates a Well known type of golf tee,

`and 19a golf ball, which ball is shown'at .different teeing heights in said views With moreirmly and positively engaged by lthe` resilient annular edge l5, as `Will be manifest and apparent.

.In Figs. 9 to 11 inclusive, the numeral 20 designates anothenwell linovvn type of golf tee and 21a golf ball, Which is also shown at diHeren-t teeing heights in said views with relation to the golf tee guard, saidl golf tee 20 being restrainingly engaged Within the aperture 17 of its guard inthe identical mannerr to that here-inbefore described for the tee 18.

As previously stated the device of the invention may be formed from any suitable resilient or cxible material, but actual eX- perience has demonstrated that the best results are obtained, when such device is fabricated from rubber, for the reason that due to the inherent resilience of the latter, the

device will and must necessarily adhere firmly to the tee at all times irrespective of the teeingA height of the golf ball, to thereby positively prevent separation ofthe correlated tee and guard thereof. Y Manifes'tly, therefore, the device of the invention, is extremely simple, inexpensive, compact and durable in construction, is reliable and ecient in use, and may be conveniently carried by golf players.

While I have herein disclosed my invention" with sufficient detail lto enable those skilled in the art to understand the mode of.

construction and the principles involved, it is to be understood, that there is no intentional limitation herein to the specific form and precise details of construction of the `invention shown and described, except as eX- Leidos@ pressly defined by the appended claims, and

that various modifications of such form and construction may be resort-ed to without departing from the spirit of the invent-ion orthe benefits derivable therefrom. I'also desire t-o have it understood that the device of the invention may be en'iployed with other golf tees than-those shown and described.

lNhat'l claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent is -1. A golf tee guard having a relatively thin elongated body provided adjacent one end thereof with a convergent aperture to accommodate and restrainingly engage a golf tee.

*2. A golf tee guard having a relatively thin body of curvilinear contour provided with. an aperture the Walls of which are constricted atta selected point thereon to accommodate and restrainingly engage a golf' tee.

3. A golf tee guard lhaving a relatively thin conspicuously colored body provided with a longitudinally slit-ted convergent aperture to accommodate and restrainingly engage a` golf tee.

4. A golftee guard having a relatively thin body fabricated from rubber and having an aperture formed therein, the Walls of which are constricted substantially midway the length thereof to accommodate and restrainingly engage a golf tee thereat.

5. A golf tee guard comprising a relatively thin body, and a boss on said body having an aperture formed therein the Walls of which converge inwardly from the ends thereof to accommodate and restraininglyv engage a golf tee at the juncture of the convergent portions of said Walls.

6. A golf tee guard comprising a relatively thin body, and a boss uponone end of said body having an aperture formed therein the Walls of which are longitudinally slitted and converge inwardly from thev ends of.

.the aperture to accommodate and restrainingly engage agolf tee at the juncture of the.

convergent portions of said Walls.

Y. .In a golf tee guard, in combination, a relatively thin elongated body, a boss on said body adjacent one end having a convergent aperture formed therein to accommodate and restrainingly engage a golf tee, and a conspicuous locating symbol ailixed to said body adjacent the opposite end thereof.

8. In a golf teegnard, in combination, a relatively thin elongated colored body having anaperture formed therein, the Walls of which are constricted at a selected point thereon to accommodate-and restrainingly engage a golf tee, and a conspicuous-locatin symbol of a contrasting color afiixed to said body in spaced relation to said aperture.

9. In a golf tee guard, in combination, a

relatively thin substantially elliptical main tially circular portion integrally connected to one end of said body portion having a conver ent aperture formed therein to accommoate and restrainingly engage a golf tee. l0. In a golf tee.gua1'd,'in combination, a relatively thin a substantiallyl elliptical main body portion, a conspicuous locating symbol aiiixed thereto adjacent one end thereof1 a relatively thin substantially circular portion integrally connected to the opposite end of said bodyportion in alignment with its major axis, and aboss formed upon said circular portion adjacent its outer end having an aperture therenxsaid aperture'having its Walls converge inwardly from the r ends thereof to accommodate' and restrainingly engage a golf tee at the juncture of the convergent portions of said Walls.

11.111 combination with a golf tee, .of a guard therefor. comprising a relatively Athin body of resilient material, a boss on said body having an aperture formed therein, and ineans disposed within said aperture'to ac-v commodate and restrainingly engagesaid goli:` tee at any selected point of axial adjuetnient thereon.

ture.

JOHN D. MULVEHILL. l

In testimony whereoiI I aiiix my sgna- 

